The Waves of Grief Collective is a community of licensed clinicians, healers, community leaders, and those navigating their own grief and wanting to hold space to come together to reduce the feelings of isolation and loneliness that accompany grief and loss. 

We are all connected by our love for the ocean - how being in, on, or around the water can be healing - and facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration as long-held views about the grief experience evolve.  Together we aim to foster meaningful connection, supported by nature.

Half Moon Bay, California

USA

  • Kelsey Ellis, MA CCLS

    WAVES OF GRIEF FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • Gaia Pazienti

    PROGRAM DIRECTOR

  • Annea Jean Toomajian MA LMFT

    FACILITATOR

  • Alex Greenwald

    FACILITATOR

  • Grace Garey

    FACILITATOR

  • Michelle Q. Slavik

    FACILITATOR & WAVES OF GRIEF COLLECTIVE CO FOUNDER

Tacoma, Washington

USA

  • Melissa Deeken LMHCA

    REGIONAL DIRECTOR & FACILITATOR

Gambia,

Africa

  • Ngoneh Jagne

    REGIONAL DIRECTOR & FACILITATOR

Santa Barbara, California USA

USA

  • Stacy McCrory MA, LMFT

    REGIONAL DIRECTOR & FACILITATOR

Copalis, Washington

USA

  • Caleb Carr

    FACILITATOR

  • Sarah Joan Carr, MSW, LICSWA

    FACILITATOR

Ventura, California USA

USA

  • Albert Balderas LMFT

    FACILITATOR

  • Anna Selena Cho, PsyD, LMFT, ATR

    REGIONAL DIRECTOR & FACILITATOR

  • Dave Sher

    FACILITATOR

San Diego, CA

USA

  • Jasmine Montoya

    REGIONAL DIRECTOR & FACILITATOR

  • Sara Comp

    FACILITATOR

Cocoa Beach, FL

USA

  • Darlene Bunch LCSW (she/they)

    REGIONAL DIRECTOR & FACILITATOR

Chicago, IL

USA

  • Kelsey Hails

    FACILITATOR

  • Leigh Heckman

    REGIONAL DIRECTOR & FACILITATOR

Dicky Beach, QL

AUSTRALIA

  • Lisa Wallis BA MSW (Q)

    REGIONAL DIRECTOR & FACILITATOR

  • Dr. J'aime Morrison, Ph.D

OUR PARTNERS

  • ARM OF CARE

  • HYDROTHEORY

  • MEWATER FOUNDATION

  • MOURNING SURF

  • MY PEAK FOUNDATION

  • TWOCAN RETREATS

  • POSITIVE PERSPECTIVES

  • TAYLOR FAMILY FOUNDATION

  • OceanFlow

Interested in joining the collective?